A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (film)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master is a 1988 horror-fantasy film, and the sequel to A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. ''The film is directed by Renny Harlin, starring Robert Englund, Lisa Wilcox and Danny Hassel. After its releasing, it received mixed to positive reviews and grossed over $49.9 million in domestic box office, becoming one of the fan favorite Nightmare on Elm Street films of the series. Plot Kristen Parker is having nightmares, and thinks that Freddy has returned. Kristen, Roland Kincaid, and Joey Krusel are now living normal lives, and Kristen has made some new friends: Alice Johnson, a frequent daydreamer; Sheila Kopecky, a brainy girl suffering from asthma; Debbie, a tough girl who hates bugs, and Rick Johnson, her boyfriend and Alice's brother. Eventually, Kincaid has a nightmare where he is in the junkyard with his dog, Jason, who digs up Freddy's bones, which reassume the form of Freddy once more. Freddy stabs Kincaid. He then pulls Joey into his waterbed and stabs him, and he drowns. Kristen realizes Freddy has returned, so she tells Alice, Rick, and her boyfriend Dan Jordan the story about Freddy. Alice tells her about a dream master spell. One day, Kristen's mother gives her sleeping pills, and she falls asleep. She tries to turn the nightmare into a pleasant dream, but Freddy attacks her anyway. Freddy forces her to pull Alice into the dream world, and then he throws Kristen into the furnace. As Freddy takes Kristen's soul, she gives her power to Alice. Once awake, Alice runs over to Kristen's house with Rick, and they and Elaine see Kristen burn to death. Rick and Dan are sceptical about Freddy. During a physics exam, Alice inadvertently pulls Sheila into the dream world, and Freddy sucks the life out of her with a kiss, killing her and making it seem like an asthma attack. He is now using Alice to get to other victims in Springwood that do not live on Elm Street. Rick begins to suspect Freddy really is out there. During another class, Rick is pulled into the dream world and fights an invisible Freddy, who kills him by stabbing him with his clawed glove. Alice picks up the abilities and powers of all of Freddy's victims. One night, Freddy goes after Debbie, and Alice and Dan try to get to her before Freddy does, but as they are both in the dream world, he controls them to repeat their movements until he kills Debbie by turning her into a cockroach and crushing her inside a roach motel. While driving, Alice and Dan try to crash into Freddy, but the resulting crash injures Dan and he is taken to the hospital. Alice enters the dream world to protect Dan, and they fight Freddy, leading them to jump through a stained glass window into a church. Dan is injured by a shard of the glass, and he is woken up, leaving Alice to fight Freddy alone. She uses her power on him, but it is not enough. Then Alice remembers the Dream Master spell, and lifts up a shard of stained glass window so he can see his reflection, making him see the evil that is inside, causing all the souls inside him to tear him apart. The souls then fly away, now free from their imprisonment inside Freddy. Next day, Alice and Dan are walking. Alice throws a coin into the fountain and makes a wish; however, she sees Freddy's reflection in the fountain for a moment. Cast * John Beckman as Coach * Kisha Brackelas Friend * Brooke Bundy as Elaine Parker * Wanda Bursey as Friend in Mourning * Hope Marie Carlton as Herself (Pin Up Girl) * Kristen Clayton as Alice * Duane Davis as Jock * Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger * Richard Garrison as Doctor * Danny Hassel as Daniel Jordan * Andras Jones as Rick Johnson * Tuesday Knight as Kristen Parker * Jeff Levine as Paramedic * Joanna Lipari as Nurse B. Troup * Joie Magidow as Physics Teacher * Jacquelyn Masche as Mrs. Crusel * Nicholas Mele as Dennis Johnson * Robert Shaye as Lecturer * Jody Montana as Buddy in Diner * Toy Newkirk as Sheila Kopecky * Pat O'Neal as Student * Linnea Quigley as Soul From Freddy's Chest * Cheryl Richardson as Girl * Ken Sagoes as Roland Kincaid * Brooke Theiss as Debbie Stevens * Lisa Wilcox as Alice Johnson * Mickey Yablans as Buddy in Locker Room Box Office Performance With a widely release on August 19th, 1988 on 1,765 theatres in North America. On the first weekend, the film grossed $12,883,403 as the 1st highest grossing film of that week, and also the highest opening of a whole franchise until Freddy vs. Jason. On the second weekend, the film still ranked No.1 with a performance of $6,989,358, but also sets first place on the third weekend, then sets No.2, No.4 and No.6 in the next three weeks, until it finally drops out from the Top 10 list as No.11 on the seventh weekend. Finally, the film took a strong box office success with a domestic total of $49,369,899, which makes it the highest grossing Nightmare on Elm Street film at that time, until Freddy vs. Jason broke the record in 2003. Up to now, it is still the 3rd highest grossing Nightmare film.The film ranked No.19 of the Top 50 highest domestic grossing films, and also the highest grossing horror-slasher film of the year 1988. Critical Response A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master not only took a hugely success on box office performance, but also received mixed to positive reviews from the critics, and mostly positive comments by the audiences. In the book “Hollywood Monster”, Robert Englund mentions the film is his personal favorite Nightmare on Elm Street film of the whole franchise, and he also confirms this point in the interview on official Nightmare on Elm Street Films website. In the interviews from Lisa Wilcox, the successful actress who portrayed Alice Johnson in the film, give the film a positive review: “…It had a great story, funny Freddy lines, not too gruesome and a cast that worked really well together.” Wes Craven, the creator of the franchise also give the film a positive comment in the documentary “Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy”, he says: “…I think Renny Harlin is a director has such a gift, who did so many wonderful thing that the others cannot do…” Also, Robert “Bob” Shaye, the pre-CEO of the series, believes the film is the highest moment of the series and the most enjoyable sequel of all. The Dream Master’s success also improved New Line’s business, which exactly makes it into a world-famous film company. Most of the audience believing The Dream Master is one of the most worth-seeing Nightmare on Elm Street films, and some of them think it is the best; but it still received many negative reviews from critics, which panned its comdy-like style. It holds an overall rating of 54% “rotten” on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 25 critical reviews. Film Awards Saturn Awards Best Director – Renny Harlin (Nomination) Saturn Awards Best Horror Film (Nomination) Staurn Awards Best Supporting Actor – Robert Englund (Nomination) Fantasporto Awards International Fantasy Film Award for Best Film – Renny Harlin (Nomination) Razzie Award for Worst Original Song – Vigil for the song "Therapist" (Nomination) Catalonian International Film Festival Best Special Effects (Won)/Best Film (Nomination) Teenage Choice for Best Horror Motion Picture (Won) Best Young Actor in a Horror or Mystery Motion Picture – Rodney Eastman (Nomination) Best Young Actor in a Horror or Mystery Motion Picture – Andras Jones (Nomination) Best Young Actress in a Horror or Mystery Motion Picture – Brooke Theiss (Nomination) Soundtrack "Nightmare" – Tuesday Knight "Love Kills" – Vinnie Vincent Invasion "Angel" – Love/Hate "Don't Be Afraid of Your Dreams" – Go West "Back to the Wall" – Divinyls "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)" – Dramarama "Are You Ready for Freddy" – The Fat Boys "Fatal Charm" – Billy Idol "Pride and Joy" – Joe Lamont "Rebuilding the Big House" – Nick Gilder "Therapist" – Vigil "Under the Night Stars" – Sea Hags "Standing Over You" – The Angels "I Want Your (Hands on Me)" – Sinéad O'Connor Photo Gallery '''A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master has a Photo Gallery.' Category:Films